


the library of aerin

by iseemikimouse



Series: unfleshed out tiny stories [4]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: And More Fluff, Elf!Hyunjin, Elves, Fluff, M/M, Magic, but changbin is dwarf, but i don't know what they are, but it seems to be mutual?, centaur!woojin, elf!chan, everyone else is mentioned - Freeform, felix and yongbok are twins, hyunjin pines after chan, i think that's everything., kinda inspired by lotr/the hobbit, magic libraries, though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 03:38:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18241619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iseemikimouse/pseuds/iseemikimouse
Summary: In order to look for the Lights of Haelorian, Hyunjin and his company must stop by the fabled library of Aerin, a place he was sure didn't exist and yet Chan is right. Chan is always right.





	the library of aerin

If there is anything Hyunjin regrets, it’s not knowing whether or not he actually belonged on a quest of this magnitude. Yes, he’s an elf of the highest degree but most of his time is spent in the king’s library, helping solve the issues the humans and the shifters couldn’t figure out on their own. He’s fit for books and research, none of this, Haelorian has lost its Lights and we have to find out what’s going on nonsense.

It's much too difficult for him.

But when Chan smiled at him with the largest dimpled smile he had seen, Hyunjin knew that his fate wasn’t going to be in the safe space in the library anymore.

He doesn’t blame Chan for that smile and the simple plea the elder elf gave him, no, he blames how fast his will left him the moment his crush smiled. But who could blame him? Who wouldn’t melt at the sight of the lean build, silver haired elf with dimples as deep as the river Loorin? Who wouldn’t want to give the world to the elf with stars in his eyes when he talked about actually finding the missing Lights and going on an adventure? So of course he said yes.

And while it’s totally worth it, the two dwarves traveling in their party of ten would say Hyunjin is whipped for the older elf but he already knows this. He’s just wondering when Changbin will realize how whipped he is for a certain puppy eyed shifter.

Chan’s adventure, as the yellow mage calls it, leads them to the fabled library of Aerin, hidden deep with the bends of the Five Rivers cross. No one had believed it actually existed until Chan brought forth maps and various accounts of the library existing and while some of their group still doesn’t believe the library exists, it was hard to bring Chan’s excitement down.

Now they’re here, standing knee deep in a river that wants its visitors out all while staring at a marble building. The water begins to rise and the current pushes them towards the steps of the great building, Hyunjin landing on his knees when he finally makes it across. There’s gasps and low whistles coming from the rest of the group the majesticness of the library fills their senses.

The columns are taller than anything Hyunjin has ever seen, the details of white and cooper intertwining with each other. Large pearl statues of forgotten gods sit at the base of the stairs, the eyes seemingly staring the group down. Intricate white wood carvings litter the building in various forms of a story, one as lost as the gods Hyunjin walks past.

“See!” Chan says, his voice dripping in elation, “I told you it was real but you didn’t want to believe me!”

Hyunjin runs his fingers against the marble, the rock cool to his touch, ignoring the argument Felix and Yongbok were having over who actually believed Chan in the first place.

“It’s real,” Hyunjin says turning around and facing Chan. “It’s actually real.”

Chan smiles widely. “I told you,” he says simply.

And he did.

For nights on end, when everyone was sleeping, Chan would crawl over to Hyunjin’s bed roll and gush about the Library of Aerin. They would talk hours upon hours about how magnificent the outside would be and what knowledge and stories would be inside. But as much as they would talk, Hyunjin always had a hard time believing in something he knew was considered a myth.

But now he stands here, his fingers dragging across the library’s marble and smug looking elf behind him.

“I owe you an apology then,” Hyunjin says looking back to the library. “You were right all along.”

Chan places a gentle hand against his shoulder. “And now we can explore it’s shelves and see what stories lie inside.”

Hyunjin can’t help the smile that plasters itself on his face. “Yes but first we have to get in. Anything you would like to share?”

The older elf tilts his head and thinks. He looks at the wall in front of him, frowning when he doesn’t see anything resembling a door.

(It’s not the time, Hyunjin thinks to himself. I need to help Chan figure out a way to get inside the library, not pout and flail about how much I _want_ to kiss him. Hush you loud mind.)

Soft footfalls is what Hyunjin hears before Jeongin’s face comes into view, the tall fire sprite smiling widely. His gold eyes slide over to Chan before looking towards the wall, the golden orbs lightning up with mischief.

“This is a fae door, Chan,” Jeongin says placing his hand against the door and watching as small beams of light came from Jeongin’s hand. The lines travel upwards creating swirls and designs of a faded yellow before settling on the shape of a door and words written in a language Hyunjin wishes he knew how to read.

Chan sucks in a breath. “This is the language of the gods,” he says when Hyunjin looks at him.

Chan’s grey eyes are wide and filled with amazement. He reaches out and touches the marble, the smile once more reaching his face.

“The language of the gods has been dead for centuries, Chan,” Woojin says behind them, his hooves clattering nervously on the ground. “There’s not a soul who can read this.”

Chan’s eyes glitter. “I can.”

 _Of course_ he can. This is Chan, the heir to the plain elves where stories of old and forgotten tales are told in children’s tales. Where it’s required of Chan to speak different languages from around the world so why didn’t it occur to Hyunjin that a dead language would be one he would need to study?

Hyunjin raises a brow. “And?”

Chan studies the door and takes Hyunjin’s breath away. He looks away but the snickering already comes in the form of Changbin’s high pitched squeal and Felix’s low giggle. Turning around, he throws a glare at the dwarf on Woojin’s back, the centaur rolling his eyes and talking to Minho.

“ _To open the door, show me what lives when it eats and what dies when it drinks,”_ Chan reads and for someone who spent countless of hours sitting inside of the palace library, Hyunjin is stumped.

Jeongin only smiles and conjures a small flame in his hand, grinning  when a click of a lock sounds. For a moment Hyunjin looks startled but realizes, that yes, fire is the answer to the riddle.

He doesn’t know what he’s expecting when the doors open but it’s surely not Chan reaching over and intertwining their fingers together and it’s sure as shit not the tiny blush on the elder’s cheeks. Chan doesn’t say anything when drags Hyunjin into the dark room, yelping when the sound of flames fill the room and suddenly everything is illuminated.

With a clap of thunder and the haze of firelight, the room dances in red and golds, a contrast to the white and gold of the building. Rows upon rows of books cover the floor, sitting on shelves of wood and stone. A set of stairs made of red marble spiral down while another carved out of white wood reach upwards to a section of scrolls. The ceiling is decorated with the same wooden carvings as the ones sitting outside with the only different of them being a almost pinkish color.

Hyunjin has never seen anything like this before, a library so beautiful and filled the brim with knowledge and forgotten tales.

Beside him, Chan squeezes his hand and sniffles. Hyunjin looks to his side.

“I never thought I would actually find this place,” he whispers and suddenly Hyunjin’s in his own world with Chan. Gone is the noise of their companions and instead are the soft cries belonging to Chan.

Hyunjin can’t help the small smile on his face. “I know,” he says, “but you did and we’re here.”

The blush on Chan’s face grows a little redder making the elder’s face looks a little too red in the firelight. Hyunjin squeezes his hand.

“I would have stopped believing in trying to find it, if it wasn’t for you.”

Hyunjin’s face feels like fire as he looks away. His heart pounds in his chest as he takes a deep breath to still his beating heart. “I’m glad to have been of some help,” he says clearing his throat before taking a shy glance at the other.

Some loud sounds outside taking Hyunjin out of world with Chan. He blinks and looks around, finding the two of them are left to themselves talking at the beginning to the library, their party in favor of walking around and taking a look a library. A gust of wind blows through the library causing Hyunjin to turn and look outside.

It begins to rain.

The once clear skies, turned a stormy grey, clouds rolling towards at a pace way to fast to be normal. With narrowed eyes, he lets go of Chan’s hand, the elder turning around with him.

“Is something wrong?” Chan asks.

Hyunjin just looks outside.

“Hyunjin?” Chan says.

“It’s raining,” Hyunjin says.

“It is.”

Loud pellets of rain hits the roof causing the younger elf’s brows to raise. He has half the mind the actually step outside and to see what’s causing the water to fall but Chan catches his hand again. Thunder shakes the room.

“We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you want to go outside?” Chan questions. “I thought you didn’t like thunderstorms.”

Hyunjin thinks about it for a second, a feeling of dread filling his gut. He turns around and tries to shake it off.

“You’re right,” he says. “I must be crazy.”

“Hyunjin.” Chan states. “There’s something.”

Hyunjin squeezes the hand in his and leads Chan towards the door. “Don’t you think it’s a bit odd that it’s raining when there wasn’t a storm cloud in sight when we came in?”

Chan follows Hyunjin’s gaze, his shoulders beginning to tense up at Hyunjin’s statement. “Odd indeed.”

Hyunjin whistles low and lets go of Chan’s hand again, this time, the elder reaching for his weapon instead of grasping the warmth again. There’s a fight coming and Hyunjin can feel it. He must prepare.

**Author's Note:**

> i wanted elves and i wrote elves. i also kinda like the world i just created on a whim here and i might come back to it. MAYBE. or maybe not. i don't know. but anyways. this is also kinda inspired by this thing i found on twitter. erin tweeted it and i was deciding something and i really liked the prompt of “We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you want to stop and feel the rain?” and i basically screamed MAGIC LIBRARY. 
> 
> i didn't go back and edit it as we're about to watch the return of the king and i need to go but i will later. 
> 
> if you would like to see me scream about the stories i write, please talk and follow me on twitter (@iseemikimouse) where i'm currently weeping and going in circles about how much i love chronosaurus.


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